Son of ex-NFL QB, Pitt’s Jeff George Jr. embraces backup role, wants more
Jeff George Jr.’s football team was a hit in Carmel, Ind. Fans flocked to the games. He was the talk of the town. “When you throw the ball 40, 50 times a game, it’s a sight,” said his coach at the time and father, Jeff George Sr. (yeah, that one)....
What if Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi could redshirt every freshman?Video
In August, optimism rules the day at football training camps. Everywhere, not just at Pitt. Everyone is a candidate to start; everyone is having a good camp; coaches aren’t sure what to do with all these good players. With depth at most positions looking good after nearly a week of...
Pat Narduzzi offers honest appraisal of Pitt’s passing game
Pat Narduzzi looked at his watch to mark the moment. Apparently, he had something important to say before he blew the whistle Wednesday for the fifth day of Pitt’s training camp. The question posed to Pitt’s coach during his daily media briefing concerned the wide receiver group, perhaps the one...
Pitt gets serious with full pads, live hitting on Day 5Video
The fifth day of Pitt training camp Wednesday meant the team entered into a new phase of practice: They put on full pads. “We have to teach them how to put their thigh boards in, their knee pads, butt pads, hip pads,” coach Pat Narduzzi said. “It’s always a challenge....
Pitt football hopes to get boost from NCAA graduate transfers
Pat Narduzzi has stepped into the portal, not with trepidation, but with a need and a plan. Peering inside the portal — specifically, the NCAA transfer portal — he knew he needed help at linebacker, offensive line and tight end for this season. When he ventured inside and came out...
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi says tackling below par on 1st day in padsVideo
The fourth morning of Pitt football practice dawned sunny and hot Monday, which is the way it’s supposed to be in August, right? With temperatures in the mid 80s, it’s a day seemingly ordered by football coaches trying to get their players in shape. For Pitt, Monday was the second...
Pitt senior Aaron Mathews hopes to increase role in passing game
Pitt senior Aaron Mathews possesses skills none of his teammates can match. He is good with the spatula when his buddies come over for a barbecue. “I tell them, ‘Buy it, I’ll put it on the grill,’ ” he said. And, on the rare occasion someone tries to challenge him...
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi posts message to El Paso after mass shooting
Pitt football coach Pat Narduzzi posted a note Saturday to the people of El Paso saying they remain “in our hearts and prayers” after a man opened fire at a Walmart in the city and killed 20 people. Narduzzi posted this message to his Twitter account: “Eight months ago the...
Pitt offensive line coach Dave Borbely builds culture of trust, pride, grit
Dave Borbely had been Pitt’s offensive line coach for only a few months in the spring of 2018 when he walked out of the indoor facility one day after a practice. He was joined by Bob Junko, Pitt’s director of player development who has served the football program in various...
Ex-Pitt QB Nate Peterman, Glennon trying to earn green light from Raiders coach Gruden
NAPA, Calif. — As complex as his offense can be, Raiders coach Jon Gruden still gives quarterbacks the liberty to make whatever changes they want to make at the line of scrimmage. “But you have to earn your freedom,” Gruden said Friday. “You have to prove that you can recognize,...
Pitt’s running back plans call for on-the-job training
Running backs coach Andre Powell has perhaps the toughest but most important job on Pitt’s staff. He must replace 1,000-yard rushers Qadree Ollison and Darrin Hall. The price to pay for such production a year later is a young group of running backs with little or no experience. “I went...
Enthusiastic senior class ‘taking ownership’ for Pitt
One day while Pat Narduzzi was in his office preparing for the start of training camp, his phone buzzed. It was Pitt senior defensive tackle Amir Watts. He needed help. “He’s Facetiming me, and he’s only 40 yards away,” Pitt’s coach said Friday. Narduzzi gets dozens of calls every day...
Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi welcomes 110 players to the start of training camp
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi welcomed 110 players to the first day of training camp Friday on the Beano Cook practice fields on the South Side. It’s a new season, but the first day didn’t look much different than any of the previous four first days under Narduzzi, who has been...
Pitt basketball team hungry to bond during preseason trip to Italy
When Jeff Capel’s Pitt basketball team begins its nine-day, five-city tour of Italy on Monday, he wants to learn about that nation’s people, their culture and ancient architecture. There also will be time for hoops, with his team playing three games against European players who are beyond college age and...
5 questions surrounding Pitt football as training camp opens
Believe it or not, even Clemson and Alabama have questions at the outset of training camp. No team is immune. So, imagine what’s going through Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi’s head as he looks through the big window in his office at the football fields next to the South Side railroad...
Pitt basketball announces dates for first 12 games of 2019-2020 season
Pitt announced the first 12 games of its men’s basketball schedule Tuesday, including the opener Nov. 6 against ACC opponent Florida State at the Petersen Events Center. It’s the first time Pitt will start the season with a conference game. All but three of the 12 will be played at...
Pitt cross country teams to hold home meet at Carrie Blast Furnace
For the first time in more than 20 years, Pitt’s men’s and women’s cross country teams will be hosts for a home meet this season. The Pitt Panther Opener will be held Aug. 30 at the Carrie Blast Furnace in Swissvale. The historic Carrie Blast Furnace operated for nearly 100...
Pitt return ace Maurice Ffrench, 13 Clemson players named to preseason All-ACC team
Defending national champion Clemson placed 13 players on the 27-man preseason All-ACC team while Pitt, the team that lost to the Tigers in the conference championship game last year, settled for one. The team was chosen by a vote of 173 media members. Pitt is represented by senior return man...
Pitt picked to finish 4th in ACC Coastal; opening-night opponent Virginia ranks 1st
If a poll of 173 media members is to be believed, Pitt’s opener against Virginia on Aug. 31 at Heinz Field will be one of its most difficult games of the season. Virginia received 82 votes to win the ACC Coastal in a poll conducted last week at the ACC...
Pitt extends football, basketball broadcast deals with 93.7 FM
Pitt’s athletic department has entered into a multi-year broadcast partnership with Entercom, a media and entertainment company, that will keep the university’s football and basketball games on 93.7 FM for the 10th consecutive season. The station has provided play-by-play for both teams since the 2010-11 seasons, but for the first...
Aliquippa, Pitt great Darrelle Revis promotes healthy choices for children
Darrelle Revis doesn’t have to draw on the experience of others for helping lead the fight for kids to be active. The Aliquippa native has to nudge his 10-year-old son to stop playing video games and go outside. That’s why Revis, 34, hosted the second Hunger & Health Fun Fest...
Pitt adds walk-on guard K.J. Marshall to 2019-20 roster
K.J. Marshall, who played in three state high school championship games in North Carolina, has joined Pitt’s team as a freshman walk-on guard. Marshall, 5-foot-11, 160 pounds, was a high school teammate of Pitt sophomore Au’Diese Toney. Marshall averaged 9.5 and 9.4 points over the past two seasons, hit 84...
Tim Benz: A look at some great Pittsburgh-Philadelphia sports moments
With the Philadelphia Phillies coming into town for a weekend series, the nostalgia gears in my brain got going. I started flashing back to my favorite Pittsburgh-Philadelphia sports memories of years gone by. I figured I’d choose one from each of the three major professional sports to outline on “Breakfast...
New coaches in ACC Coastal adds to division’s unpredictabilityVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi had a good idea what to expect over the past two seasons from every opponent in the ACC’s Coastal Division. Not this year. After two years with the same seven head coaches, nearly half of that group is gone with Georgia Tech, Miami...
Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi: No scholarship players sought to transfer this year
It’s July, and everyone is 0-0. So, of course, everyone has high hopes for the upcoming season. Pat Narduzzi is no different. But what makes Pitt’s coach most hopeful about the direction of his program is something that occured — or, actually, didn’t occur — in the offseason. “We were...
